Scottish Executive

Construction Industry

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take forward the Rethinking Construction Initiative given that the National Audit Office indicates that construction amounts to approximately 8% of Gross Domestic Product and that 30% savings could be made in the costs of construction.

Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27751 on 15 August 2002.

Equal Opportunities

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last issued guidance to departments and agencies in relation to the implementation of policies or practices on disability and racial discrimination.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has a range of policies and initiatives to support good practice in respect of disability and racial discrimination. These are subject to regular review and include:

  


Policy/Guidance 
  

Issued 
  



Disability Guidance 
  

May 2001 
  



Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment 
  

June 2001 
  



Diversity Strategy 
  

November 2000 
  



  The Scottish Executive Equality Strategy, published in November 2000, sets out strategic objectives and a framework of action for the development of policy and practice on equal opportunities.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it submitted evidence to the European Commission regarding the lack of impact that the nephrops fishery had on cod and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre copies of any evidence which it submitted to the Commission in relation to this issue.

Ross Finnie: The UK submitted evidence to the Commission on several occasions in 2001 to illustrate that higher landings of nephrops did not result in higher landings of cod. The specific nature of this correspondence is confidential.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request the European Commission to readdress the issue of the setting of the west of Scotland nephrops total allowable catch (TAC) with a view to reinstating the reduction of 10% of the TAC introduced in 2001.

Ross Finnie: We hope to address this in the autumn negotiations on TACs.

Health

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to address the finding in Epilepsy - death in the shadows - National Sentinel Clinical Audit of Epilepsy-Related Death that 91% of the post-mortem investigations surveyed in Scotland were inadequate.

Malcolm Chisholm: The audit identified deficiencies in the recording of causes of death. There was no criticism of the actual examination process in Scotland, which with Northern Ireland was compared favourably to England and Wales. The Scottish Executive Health Department's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Aileen Keel, has written to the Scottish Council of the Royal College of Pathologists about the findings of the audit and will be meeting them in September to discuss the matter further.

  The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland is developing clinical standards for post-mortem and organ retention. Though these standards were not prompted by the audit they will cover the whole hospital post-mortem process and will apply to any hospital post-mortem examination carried out following an epilepsy-related death.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether women who have had mastectomy surgery on the understanding that reconstructive cosmetic surgery would be available after an appropriate healing time will have access to this surgery and whether any patients awaiting such surgery have been placed on deferred waiting lists or have been refused the surgery.

Malcolm Chisholm: Yes, such patients will have access to breast reconstruction surgery. Decisions on the nature and timing of hospital treatment, including breast reconstruction surgery, are matters for the clinical judgement of the relevant consultant, in discussion with the patient, subject to the application of national maximum waiting times.

  Information on cases placed on deferred waiting lists is collected centrally at specialty level only. No information is collected centrally on cases where a clinician may have declined to undertake surgery for any reason. Consequently information in the form requested is not available.

  The National Waiting Times Unit is currently working with North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust on the development and implementation of an action plan to tackle the longest waits for breast reconstruction surgery.

Housing Benefit (Withholding of Payment) Bill

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any organisations external to it, including professional bodies and interest groups, have requested to meet ministers to discuss the devolved implications of the Housing Benefit (Withholding of Payment) Bill and, if so, how many such meetings have taken place or are scheduled to take place.

Ms Margaret Curran: In June the Scottish branch of the Chartered Institute of Housing requested a meeting to discuss the devolved implications of the Housing Benefit (Withholding of Payment) Bill, providing a detailed summary of their concerns about the bill. Given the UK Government was considering possible amendments to this bill, I did not feel that a meeting at that time was appropriate.

  No other organisations have sought a meeting for the purpose stated.

Individual Learning Accounts

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27009 by Mike Watson on 22 July 2002, what its definition is of "fraudulent activity" in respect of the Individual Learning Account scheme.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has not defined what constitutes "fraudulent activity". It is a matter for the Procurator Fiscal Service to decide whether there is sufficient evidence for criminal proceedings and it is for the court to decide if there is sufficient evidence to convict.

Individual Learning Accounts

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27009 by Mike Watson on 22 July 2002, when the validation of claims submitted for payment under the Individual Learning Account scheme is expected to be completed.

Iain Gray: It is expected that the validation of claims still under consideration should be completed by early September. However, cases where the validation has identified irregularities may require further investigation.

Justice

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appeal process for persons who have been convicted is satisfactory.

Mr Jim Wallace: The rights of appeal by a convicted person against his conviction or sentence are long standing and have evolved over the years into the system in operation today. They afford any person convicted of an offence by a court of first instance the opportunity to appeal to the High Court of Justiciary, sitting as an appeal court, usually subject to the granting of leave to appeal. These arrangements are generally satisfactory.

  The High Court of Justiciary recently issued a consultation paper proposing the introduction of amended procedures in criminal appeals to deal with certain causes of delay and inefficiency causing the High Court concern. These measures are now to be introduced by primary and secondary legislation as appropriate. I welcome this initiative of the High Court which should improve the effectiveness of the appeal process.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many failure to appear warrants were issued by sheriff courts in each month in the last three years, broken down by sheriffdom.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information provided by the Scottish Court Service on how many failure to appear warrants were issued for both Solemn and Summary business in the last three years is set out in the following table. Warrants may be issued at different stages in the process, including preliminary and trial diets. An individual may be subject to more than one warrant.

  





Year 


Month 


Total 




Apr 


May 


Jun 


Jul 


Aug 


Sep 


Oct 


Nov 


Dec 


Jan 


Feb 


Mar 






 
Grampian, Highlands and Islands 
 1999-2000 
  

303 


442 


542 


376 


420 


499 


468 


541 


440 


454 


502 


481 


5,468 



 2000-01 
  

466 


600 


580 


448 


472 


609 


628 


650 


462 


563 


576 


606 


6,660 



 2001-02 
  

499 


670 


468 


481 


529 


599 


633 


552 


457 


633 


527 


572 


6,620 



 
Tayside, Central and Fife 
 1999 
-2000 

719 


721 


660 


775 


765 


876 


769 


857 


713 


739 


724 


836 


9,154 



 2000-01 
  

750 


872 


1,016 


808 


1,134 


790 


1,017 


1,099 


779 


1,070 


941 


1,044 


11,320 



 2001-02 
  

835 


1,048 


877 


956 


977 


982 


1,107 


1,165 


909 


1,028 


1,157 


1,136 


12,177 



 
Lothian and Borders 
 1999-2000 
  

627 


676 


767 


702 


783 


746 


815 


965 


649 


666 


898 


912 


9,206 



 2000-01 
  

714 


808 


1,119 


1,056 


896 


895 


885 


1,224 


892 


1,096 


1,154 


924 


11,663 



 2001-02 
  

774 


1,233 


1,074 


989 


1,063 


988 


1,262 


1,267 


859 


1,038 


1,066 


1,092 


12,705 



 
Glasgow and Strathkelvin 
 1999-2000 
  

888 


929 


1,054 


1,101 


1,129 


1,045 


1,018 


929 


1,013 


889 


1,061 


1,088 


12,144 



 2000-01 
  

843 


963 


1,045 


843 


1,037 


1,084 


1,128 


1,135 


711 


955 


855 


949 


11,548 



 2001-02 
  

946 


965 


919 


919 


1,100 


992 


1,161 


1,002 


756 


1,209 


1,013 


980 


11,962 



 
North Strathclyde 
 1999-2000 
  

577 


635 


694 


612 


680 


726 


752 


764 


595 


728 


761 


717 


8,241 



 2000-01 
  

678 


717 


674 


718 


834 


663 


804 


828 


690 


726 


684 


637 


8,653 



 2001-02 
  

670 


677 


730 


798 


781 


620 


761 


699 


588 


698 


671 


727 


8,420 



 
South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
 1999-2000 
  

717 


616 


845 


712 


689 


718 


709 


838 


673 


590 


966 


914 


8,987 



 2000-01 
  

771 


736 


865 


826 


793 


718 


770 


850 


717 


961 


763 


859 


9,629 



 2001-02 
  

742 


824 


810 


866 


910 


885 


890 


849 


681 


818 


800 


848 


9,923

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many summary trials fell at the first instance in each sheriffdom and what percentage those trials were of the total number of summary trials in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information is not readily available in the form requested. The following table details the number of cases called for trial at a first or subsequent trial diet and which did not proceed in the last three years. As the table shows in some cases the trial fell because a plea was tendered and accepted on the day of trial.

  


 


Year 
  

Trials Called 
  

Trials which did not proceed to evidence 
  

Of which were concluded e.g. plea accepted, 
  case deserted 
  

Percentage of trials that fell and remained 
  outstanding to trials called 
  



Grampian, Highlands and Islands 
  

1999-2000 
  

2,975 
  

2,623 
  

2,044 
  

19% 
  



2000-01 
  

2,926 
  

2,680 
  

1,997 
  

23% 
  



2001-02 
  

3,570 
  

3,275 
  

2,527 
  

21% 
  



Tayside, Central and Fife 
  

1999-2000 
  

5,095 
  

4,424 
  

3,004 
  

28% 
  



2000-01 
  

5,688 
  

4,914 
  

3,382 
  

27% 
  



2001-02 
  

6,741 
  

6,022 
  

4,227 
  

27% 
  



Lothian and Borders 
  

1999-2000 
  

5,225 
  

4,535 
  

3,272 
  

24% 
  



2000-01 
  

5,806 
  

5,289 
  

3,969 
  

23% 
  



2001-02 
  

6,090 
  

5,548 
  

4,257 
  

21% 
  



Glasgow and Strathkelvin 
  

1999-2000 
  

6,844 
  

6,116 
  

4,251 
  

27% 
  



2000-01 
  

6,998 
  

6,431 
  

4,457 
  

28% 
  



2001-02 
  

8,305 
  

7,800 
  

5,458 
  

28% 
  



North Strathclyde 
  

1999-2000 
  

4,710 
  

4,082 
  

3,291 
  

17% 
  



2000-01 
  

4,613 
  

4,057 
  

3,165 
  

19% 
  



2001-02 
  

5,251 
  

4,758 
  

3,681 
  

21% 
  



South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway 
  

1999-2000 
  

5,383 
  

4,696 
  

3,280 
  

26% 
  



2000-01 
  

5,272 
  

4,688 
  

3,369 
  

25% 
  



2001-02 
  

6,096 
  

5,452 
  

4,053 
  

23%

Justice

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Youth Courts Feasibility Project, announced on 27 June 2002, to report.

Mr Jim Wallace: I can today announce that Sheriff Principal John McInnes QC has agreed to chair a project group examining the feasibility of a youth court covering Hamilton and Airdrie. The project group will include representatives from the lead agencies with an interest in the establishment of a youth court in this area. A copy of the remit and membership of the project group has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. The group has been asked to report by December.

Medical Research

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what value the £135,000 funding of an epidemiological study in a psychiatric setting of unexplained motor symptoms will contribute given that there will be no diagnostic test.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27522. The epidemiological study is not being carried out in a psychiatric setting.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing proposals for a White Paper on planning.

Ms Margaret Curran: I expect to announce proposals to enhance the effectiveness of public participation in planning later this year. These will largely be drawn from the outcome of our major consultation exercise, Getting Involved in Planning.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on planning application P/PP/75/96/SL/81 regarding Park Quadrant and Park Circus Lane, Glasgow.

Hugh Henry: The application was considered at a public local inquiry in April and a report was submitted to ministers on 10 July. The contents of the report and the recommendation contained therein are currently being considered and every effort will be made to issue an early decision.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when any member of staff employed by the Scottish Prison Service last met representatives of the Commission for Racial Equality.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  On 9 July.

Tourism

Angus MacKay (Edinburgh South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take in order to ensure that the tourism industry is best placed to take maximum advantage of a successful joint bid to host the European Football Championships in 2008.

Mike Watson: It is estimated that, if we are successful in our joint bid to host Euro 2008, it would attract around 400,000 visitors to Scotland and Ireland, bringing significant economic benefits to Scotland as well as presenting an unrivalled opportunity to market Scottish tourism to a world audience. VisitScotland, which is on the steering group for the Euro 2008 bid, would run dedicated marketing campaigns in the year 2008 if we are successful; it would also develop specific products to attract visitors to the tournament and in subsequent years.

Voluntary Sector

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to use the formula consequentials arising from the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s statement on 15 July 2002 that funding for the Active Communities Unit will be increased from £35 million to £65 million by 2005-06 and a direct fund of £125 million will be established for voluntary sector organisations to help overcome barriers to effective service delivery and modernise their infrastructure for the long term.

Mr Andy Kerr: We will announce detailed spending plans for the three years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 in September.

Voluntary Sector

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will give to East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid in 2002-03 and how much it gave in 2000-01 and 2001-02.

Ms Margaret Curran: Through Communities Scotland, the Scottish Executive is providing £382,376 in the year 2002-03 for a new purpose built refuge to be managed by East Dunbartonshire Women's Aid.

  £38,588 was awarded from the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund in each of the years 2000-01 and 2001-02 for a project run by East Dunbartonshire Women's Aid.

Voluntary Sector

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has given to voluntary organisations in East Dunbartonshire Council area in 2001-02 and 2002-03; what organisations it gave funding to, and how much each received.

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has given to voluntary organisations in the East Dunbartonshire Council area that required match funding by another organisation in 2001-02 and 2002-03; which organisations it gave such funding to, and how much each received.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.